Material-handling apparatus



June 29 1926.

F. E. HULETT MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 23, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 29 1926.

F. E. HULETT IATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June as. 1923 a Sheets-Sheet 2 xil ll LLIIII I' II I I INVN'rb 355T AV GQPY June 29 1926.

1,590,826 F. E. HULETT MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 23. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 5 II [I \N/Hn/H Patented June 29, 1926.

UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. I-IULETT, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, TO THE ALLIANCE MA- CHINE COMPANY, F ALLIANCE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 23, 1923. Serial No. 647,258.

The present invention relates broadly to material handling apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus of this character adapted for use in the transfer of material 3 in bulk from standard cars to transfer cars delivering to ships, although it will be ap parent that the use of the apparatus in this respect is not limited.

At the present time it is customary in the art of coaling ships, for example, to run the cars carrying coal into car dumpers, by means of which their contents are delivered to a motor driven transfer car stationed im mediately in front of the car dumper. The transfer car is then run along the yard any desired distance to an elevator usually located near the bulkhead of a long elevated pier extending into the water. This elevator raises the transfer car to such an elevation that it can be run off the elevator onto the pier. The transfer car is in return discharged into pockets built as part of the pier structure and adapted to deliver the same into the holds of ships tied to the pier.

A system of the character described embodies the use of an entirely independent elevator mechanism for raising the transfer cars to the required level. As these transfer cars weigh about as mush as the material carried thereby, it will be apparent that a considerable amount of power is required to elevate the same.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improved system and apparatus in which the use of a separate elevating mechanisnris obviated. It is also possible in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention to utilize lighter structures substantially counterbalanced, and to so operate the car dumping mechanism and the cars receiving the material therefrom that the movement of one assists in the movement of the other, there} by reducing the weight of moving parts, reducing the power consumption required and increasing the safe speed of operation. It will also be apparentthat the apparatus makes it possible to. provide an effective in stallation at armuch reduced cost and involves a correspondinglylarge reduction in the cost -of maintenance. p In the accompanying drawings. there is illustrated more .or less diagrammatically .a preferred. embodiment of the present in-. 5 veneer it be rea-steed ha the d awings do not define the limits of the invention, as changes may obviously be made therein within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spiritof the invention as defined therein.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an endelevation of a portion of the apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale with a portion of the structural arrangement omitted, and illustrating the operation of the car dumper mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, some of the structural part being omitted for the sake of clearness.

In accordance with the present invention and having reference more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is provided a material handling apparatus comprising a car dumping frame structure 2 and an erevator and transfer car supporting frame structure 8, the structural features of these iespective frames being comparatively im- 'ing from a hoisting mechanism 7 around the cradle and dead ended at suitable points thereon. As these cables are Wound upwardly by the hoisting mechanism, it will be apparent that the car or cars carried by the cradle are moved to dumping position. For holding the cars in the cradle during this operation, there is provided a suitable number of clamping bars 8, each having at one-end a pivotal connection 9 with the cradle 4L and secured at their oppositeends to cables 10 passing around pulleys 11 and adapted to cooperate with a series of counter weights 12. The arrangement of counter weights is such that asthe cradle moves into dumping position, the counter weightsare successively picked up, thereby exerting a r d a y nc e ng salaries aciiim he may be partially counter balanced by securing to each end thereof cables 32 passing around sheaves 33 and secured to counter weights 34. The transfer car 28 may be similarly counter balanced by cables 35 and counter weights 36.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the provision of a material handling apparatus of this character in which the ease of handling material is increased with a compact high speed arrangement which may be installed at a minimum cost, operated with a minimum power consumption and at a minimum cost of upkeep.

I claim 1. In a material handling apparatus, means for emptying a car, means for receiving the contents of said car, an elevator frame supporting said last mentioned means during the loading thereof, means for moving said loaded means vertically, and means operatively connecting said first and last mentioned means whereby the weight of one assists in the operation of the other, substantially as described.

2. In a material handling apparatus, a car cradle, hoisting mechanism for tilting said cradle, means for receiving the contents of a car on the cradle, an elevator frame supporting said means during the loading thereof, means for moving said loaded means vertically, and means opcratively interconnecting said last mentioned means and said cradle whereby the weight of one assists the movement of the other, substantially as described.

3. Apparatus for handling material including a car dumping cradle, an inclined chute for receiving material from cars .dumped in the cradle, a lifting receptacle into which the chute delivers, the capacity of the lifting receptacle being sufficient to.

receive at one time the contents of any car that may be moved into the the cradle, a driving means for dumping the cradle when the lifting receptacle is lowered and for restoring the cradle when the lifting receptacle is being raised and vice versa, and connections for transferring energy from on to the other whereby their opposed mo tions tend to counterbalance one another, substantially as described.

5. Apparatus for handling material including a dumping cradle mechanism, a lifting receptacle mechanism adapted to receive material from the dumping cradle, and operating means for both mechanisms for operating one mechanism against gravity. while the other is moved with gravity and wherein the opposite movement of the two mechanisms tends to counterbalance one another, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK E. HULETT.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,590,826, granted June 29, 1926, upon the application of Frank E. Hulett, of East Cleveland, Ohio, for an improvement in Material-Handling Apparatus, were erroneously issued to The Alliance Machine Company, of Alliance, Ohio, a Corporation of Ohio, as assignee of the entire interest in said invention, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor, said Huletf, and The Alliance Zlfaclzrine Company, of AZZiamr-e, Ohio, a, Corporation of Ohio, said corporation being assignee of one-half interest only in said invention, as shown by the records of assignments-in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 3d day of August, A. D. 1926.

[Swan] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

